Archive for the ‘product’ Category

IpsyOS Events Part 1: Intro & Dermalogica
Did you know that Michelle Phan (co-founder of the uber popular subscription service Ipsy which has well over 1.5 million monthly subscribers) opened up her dream studio for up and coming beauty content creators last year? And that those creators could use that space for free?!?

When I opened that email and saw that it said, “Hello Beautiful, Congrats” I seriously full on squealed!! (you know, like out loud) I was amazed that they thought my little piece of the internet was worthy.

And since I was accepted I have had the honor of attending 3 #ThirstyThursday events, 1 #WorkoutWednesday event, 1 #Cocktail Party for GenBeauty LA, and was given a complimentary #BeautyGuru #VIP pass for #GenBeauty LA!!

So just after a month after I was accepted into IpsyOS I attended my first event AT IpsyOS in Santa Moncia! This event was sponsored by Dermalogica and featured their new #CharcoaltotheRescue Charcoal Masque.
We were able to learn about how to use the other featured products and how often to use each based on our individual skin types. There was wonderful catered food and plenty of champagne, well the event IS called a #ThirstyThursday! [SIDE NOTE: Because I strongly believe in safe driving, I. Will. Never. Drink. One, Sip. Of. Alcohol. When. Driving. NOT EVER!]Dermalogica also had the incredibly talented @persianpainter at the event to create gorgeous charcoal drawings of us. I still need to get a frame so I can better display this near my vanity. I cannot remember ever having a portrait/caricature drawn of me where the artist spent that amount of detail!

Towards the end of the event we were each given a generous goodie bag that contained ALL of the products that were being featured! Included in each attendee bag from Dermalogica was their Pre-Cleanse, Special Cleansing Gel, Charcoal Rescue Masque, Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque, Skin Hydrating Masque and the cutest grey headband perfect for keeping my hair out of my face while washing my face for applying makeup!
I am so appreciative to Dermalogica for putting on such a fun evening. I was a bit nervous with this being my first event, but the majority of attendees and all of the IpsyOS and Dermalogica staff that I met were amazing!

Have you used Dermalogica? If so, what is your favorite product? And if not, what product would you want to try most?

All the best,
~Jaclyn~

If you are interested in trying Ipsy please consider using my referral link!

Please make sure you are following me on Instagram and Snapchat (jaclynsmusings)!!

If you are as into beauty products as I am, then you have probably heard of a certain pink egg shaped beauty sponge and its apparent wonders for applying cosmetics. But you may not have heard of its face washing, biodegradable, affordable cousin made from Konjac fibers.

In Japan, Konjac has been used as a medicinal food since the sixth century meaning people have been eating it for over 1500 years! Apparently Konjac or Konnyaku has nearly zero calories is very high in fiber and is sold as a very low cal noodle, shirataki.

MY Konjac Bamboo Charcoal sponge is a large tear drop shaped sponge. It is very hard when first taken out of the package, but softens considerably as it swells with water. And can be sanitized microwaving in a bowl of water for 1:30.

MY Konjac makes several types of sponges each perfect for varying skin needs. This one contains activated carbon along with various minerals and natural antioxidants that help absorb excess oil and “help fight acne-causing bacteria that are typically difficult to reach.”

What makes these sponges unique is that because they are made with 100% natural ingredients, these sponges can be thrown in a compost bin once one finishes using it. Each sponge will last anywhere from 2-4 months on average although exact length of time varies depending on amount of use and whether it is used alone or with face wash.

I’ve tried using this alone, with non-exfoliating (ie “gentle”) face wash, and exfoliating face wash. I have to say that I prefer to use this with non-exfoliating face wash. I find the ‘beads’ or ‘roughage’ in exfoliating face wash to get stuck in the sponge and be too harsh. And while I get a fairly good clean when using this by itself, my preference is to use a gentle face wash. I find that, that is the perfect harmony between getting a deep and not a too harsh clean.

I do not use this to remove my makeup. I prefer to use makeup removing facial wipes to face wash for removing makeup. I use this first thing in the morning as the start to my beauty routine. I love the idea of sponge that can essentially be buried in the backyard and will easily degrade back into the soil.

Way too many beauty products and products in general are made with materials that do not biodegrade in any reasonable amount of time [having a half life of 500,000 years or so does NOT count[. I love that this sponge is made with organic ingredients*. I wish more products were made and packaged (both primary and secondary packaging) with many more sustainable materials such as biodegradable ones. Wouldn’t it be neat if one day we could literally just bury a product’s packaging in the backyard and when one went to check on it in 6 months, to find nothing there! [I took AP Environmental Science in high school along with being a biological sciences major]

So if you are looking for a 100% all natural** facial cleansing sponge that works great, doesn’t require the use of face wash, and is quite reasonably priced then go check out MY Konjac Bamboo Charcoal Sponge (click HERE to purchase on Amazon).

Do you or have you used a Konjac sponge before? What do you use when you wash your face (ie a washcloth, your hands, special facial cleansing mitt, etc)? I’d LOVE to hear about your skincare regime in the comments before!

~Jaclyn~
**Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please see my disclaimer policy for more information.

Hi Lovelies!
Taking off ones makeup at the end of a long day can be a chore especially when long wearing makeup is stubborn and doesn’t want to come off. I hate when face wash doesn’t remove all my eye makeup and I’m left with mascara or eyeliner that then stains my sensitive eye area. Or when my skin gets red and irritated because I scrubbed too hard.

What if I told you there was a much easier way to remove your makeup? A way that is as simple as a few wipes across your face AND is good for your skin! No harsh astringents to be found and it is budget friendly. Interested?

InstaNatural’s Deep Cleansing Facial Oil does all that and more. In addition to removing makeup this multitasking facial oil also cleans away impurities and moisturizes the skin.
To use just squirt a dime size amount on a clean cloth or cotton pad (a little goes a long way) and wipe on face. Then just use warm water to rinse away! I found that essentially ALL my makeup came off as I applied the oil. It was quite impressive as to how easily my makeup came off, especially my eyeliner and mascara.

To give you an idea of the cleaning powers of this facial oil I let two different mascaras, several eyeliners, lip liners, lipsticks, and a brow product dry on the back of my hand. I squirted a couple pumps of oil onto a cotton pad. Then I wiped the deep cleansing oil over my hand with only a couple easy swipes all of the dried makeup came right off.

On top of doing such a great job of easily removing makeup, it moisturizing, and is budget friendly too! I also appreciate that all the ingredients are easy to pronounce. I’m including the ingredient list below in case trying to read it off the photo of the label is a bit too difficult. And I really like InstaNatural’s new logo! Not that I disliked anything about the old logo, I do think the new one definitely looks sharper.

If you are in the market for a hard working multitasker then check out InstaNatural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil (click HERE to find on Amazon).

~Jaclyn~

**Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please see my disclaimer policy for more information.

I’m back with another product review, this time for a fabulous at home Dead Sea Mineral Mud Mask by Barefaced Skincare (click HERE to find on Amazon). I love facial masks! Since I don’t have the time (or money) to visit a spa I rely on at home treatments in order to get that refreshed soft skin. I’ve tried quite a few masks, including Dead Sea Mineral masks, but never a Mud Mask, until now.

This product is made with Dead Sea Minerals imported from Israel. I love purchasing products made in Israel. As a Jewish – American who has not yet had the opportunity to visit Israel, I feel that if given the option of purchasing a product made in Israel versus a product made anywhere else, I’ll choose the first as a small thing I can do to support Israel. That said, this product is not made in Israel, it is made in the U.S.A, BUT the Dead Sea Minerals ARE imported from Israel so that sorta counts in a secondary consumer type of way.
Dead Sea Minerals and Mud have been long touted as being fantastic for ones skin so when I was given a chance to try a mask that contained both I immediately jumped at the chance! Barefaced Skincare has the absolutely cutest graphics on their product, website, and amazon page. I’m including several as I think they just perfectly explain this companies story and journey taken from start to finished product.
As per instructions on the jar, I applied the mask to clean facial and cervical skin gently massaging the purifying minerals making sure to avoid both my eye and lip areas. I then left it on for about 15 minutes at which time it had dried considerably. At which time I used warm water to carefully rinse all traces away and pat dry. The jar says that for best results to repeat use once a week.
I love that all the ingredients are actually ones that are easy to pronounce (although I’ve taken enough general and organic chemistry that I can pronounce most long chemical names) and on the simpler side.
The relatively short (especially for skincare) ingredient list is composed of the following: Dead Sea Mud, Organic Shea Butter, Hickory Bark Extract, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Water, Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Lavender Essential Oil, Organic Eucalyptus Essential Oil, Kaolin Clay, Non GMO Xanthan Gum, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Calendula Oil. I’m amazing that Water is not only not the first ingredient, but it is the sixth! When was the last time water wasn’t one of the first ingredients in any skin or hair care product?
This mask is formulated for all skin types from oily and acne prone skin to dry skin and for teen skin to mature skin and for both women and men! This is a one stop mud mask shop for the whole family. And each 6 oz jar contains enough mud for 30-40 uses!
If you are considering trying Barefaced Mud Mask also consider that IF you are not 100% satisfied with the product for ANY reason just contact Barefaced Skincare’s dedicated customer service team. If you want to learn more about Barefaced Skincare and/or have a question for their customer service team you can visit their website at www.barefacedskincare.com. And if you want to try Barefaced Mud Mask for yourself you can find it on Amazon (with free shipping on orders over $35 or with Prime) by clicking HERE.
Do you or have you used Dead Sea Mineral and/or Mud mask before? I’d love to hear your experiences, please share in the comments below. I’ll reply to all comments!

~Jaclyn~
**Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please see my disclaimer policy for more information.

Now that I’m in my 30′s I feel like I am at that age where I should be beginning to use anti-aging skincare. I try to take care of my skin (which is the largest organ in the body). I wear sunscreen when I’m going to be outside for any extended amount of time as research has shown that tanning also can cause skin cancer, not just sunburns. And I have pretty dry skin so I try to always use exfoliating face wash which helps to make my makeup look less cakey. I also have gotten sooo much better at using Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid serums as well as some sort of moisturizer. But I haven’t been so good at using any products specifically for the ocular (eye) region.

Enter in Body Merry Age Defense Eye Cream (click HERE to find on Amazon) which claims to be a one stop solution for helping to alleviate dark circles, wrinkles, and puffiness. I can’t make an assessment as to whether it helps with wrinkles as I don’t have many around my eyes. I can say that it does seem to help with dark circles and puffiness. But what I’m personally most interested in is prevention.
I do very much like that the cream absorbs into the skin very quickly and isn’t at all greasy feeling. I like that it contains Witch Hazel which has been a favorite skincare ingredient of mine since I was a teenager. Along with Witch Hazel this cream contains Organic Aloe, Sunflower Oil, Botanical Hyaluronic acid, Cocoa Butter, Vitamins C + E + B5, Rose hip oil, Jojoba oil, Coconut oil, Beeswax, Cranberry, Licorice, Flaxseed oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Lavender, Chamomile, Glycolic acid, Cucumber, Green Tea, Blueberry, Oregon Grape, Coenzyme Q10, Lemon, Lemongrass, Apple, Sugarcane, Grape-seed Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, and Raspberry seed oil plus quite a few others! Wow what an awesome combination of healthy oils, and extracts.
Many people will be happy that this product contains Natural and Organic ingrediants that are designed to work on ALL skin types from oily to dry and does NOT contain any parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. Body Merry Age Defense Eye Cream is made in a cruelty-free FDA registered & GMP compliant facility in the USA.
I like that this eye cream comes packaged in an easy to use and mess free pump. The only thing is a full pump extrudes too much product. I found half a pump was the correct amount (for me anyways) of cream for both eyes. The bottle contains a one full ounce which is actually very generous for an eye cream since a little goes such a long way. Most bottles of foundation are one ounce so I could see this bottle lasting at least a few months if used once a day. Also it is worth noting that there is a moderate scent to this product. I happen to like the way this one’s scent.

Another plus is that ALL Body Merry products have a 90 day 100% satisfaction guarantee complete with full refund no questions asked! So what do you have to lose? And the current price on Amazon is $19.99! Why spend sooo much more on an eye cream that may or may not be more effective? If you want to try this Age Defense Eye Cream for yourself, just click HERE to find it on Amazon.

Do you have an anti-aging skincare routine? What do you think is a good age to began using anti-aging products? Do you have a favorite eye cream that I should check out? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

Hope everyone has been enjoying their Labor Day (if in the USA) weekend!

~Jaclyn~
**Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please see my disclaimer policy for more information.